Potholes prove troublesome for the city. The public can help by reporting them

A pothole that formed in the southbound lane of Walnut Street near city hall is just one of potentially hundreds across the city that have formed with the hot and cold cycle of weather over the local area.(Photo: Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press)

MUNCIE, Ind. – With potholes growing across the city and the certainty of more during upcoming freeze thaw cycles, many drivers wonder what happens if you hit one and damage your car.

For the year 2018, a total of 2,765 pothole locations were patched. According to city spokesperson Sarah Beach, if a pothole is reported, for example, on Wheeling between McGalliard and Centennial, it is logged as one location.

However, when the street crews arrive to patch that location, there might be 20 potholes that are actually filled.

Muncie city street superintendent Duke Campbell said earlier this month that February weather has prompted "nonstop" pothole repairs.

"Not just one pops up. Thirty, 40, 50, 100 pop up at the same time," he told the Star Press in an interview. "And it's frustrating for our workers, but they're used to it. They know. We've gone through this before."

Campbell doesn't remember a stretch of February when temperatures have dropped this much in such a brief time only to thaw again. He encouraged citizens to report potholes even if it's just to leave a message with the city's reporting system.

Potholes occur after water seeps below pavement, like from this week's rain. Cold temperatures cause that water to freeze and expand, pushing the pavement upward. But then, when temperatures warm, as they also did this week, that ice melts and leaves cavities, which traveling vehicles crush to form potholes.

The newly formed craters cause headaches for drivers and potentially expensive tire damage.

The whole state has been affected by the weather. A pothole-ridden stretch of Interstate 69 between Daleville and Anderson prompted the state to lower the speed limit in that area from 70 to 45 miles per hour while the state patched the holes.

In order to fix potholes, the city first needs to know they exist.

In previous years, the city has asked for help in identifying pothole issues around the city, and there are several ways they can be reported.

For one, you can use Twitter. Tweeting information to @MunciePotholes actually lets them know troublesome spots; the account is monitored by the city.

You can also file a ticket on the E-gov website. Go to Cityofmuncie.com and click on the Street and Public Works tab at the bottom of the page, then the link to submit issues. Simply fill out sheet a send the request.

Around 248 of the potholes in 2018 were reported to the city via the E-gov website, according to Beach.

Citizens can also call 765-747-4847 or email lhayes@cityofmuncie.com or lswafford@cityofmuncie.com.

If you do damage a vehicle on a pothole there is the potential to file for damages with the city. These claims are filed with the Muncie City Clerk’s office, but the city has to have been notified of the pothole and had sufficient time to fix it.

Not as many claims are actually filed with the city as you might think. In 2016, 36 claims were filed, with 37 filed in 2017. Last year the city received 41 claims. This year the city has already received six claims.

Beach said she didn't know how many of those claims have resulted in any payout from the city's insurance company, however.